Queer women have always tried to signal to each other that we are one in the same. The “lesbian nod” is archaic; through social media, we wlw have devised new and creative ways to send subliminal sapphic signals to each other. TikTok, for whatever reason, has served as a platform for these signals to be created and spread like wildfire. One, in particular, is asking a potential wlw if they “listen to girl in red” as a lowkey way of asking if they are gay or gay-adjacent. And though the answer to the subliminal question may be yes, the answer to the superficial question may be no. No she to girl in red, but there are many types of queer women with many tastes in music. So, here are some artists to offer as a rebuttal that may be more of your style.

MUNA

MUNA is a queer electro-pop trio who just tweeted this:

https://twitter.com/whereisMUNA/status/1315479781278842880

So they know what’s good. They did a cover of Normani’s “Motivation” on Spotify which is just lovely, especially knowing they’re thinking about women when they’re singing it.

Remi Wolf

A newer artist, Remi Wolf sounds like if your best friend made music. It’s just fun and cool. Her big, wild, colorful music videos are like an acid trip from heaven. In her song “Shawty,” she says “Shawty wanna kiss me/but only cuz she likes me,” and isn’t that what we all truly want?

070 Shake

I just discovered 070 Shake, and apparently I’m late to the game. Tame Impala just remixed her song “Guilty Conscious,” which was a masterpiece already. She sings, she raps, she’s the coolest person alive. What’s not to love?

King Princess

I saw King Princess in concert with my girlfriend and 200 other lesbians in NYC and cried along with them as we scream-sang “1950.” After the show, I saw Kristen Stewart standing outside of the concert. I passed her and I thought “that lesbian looked like Kristen Stewart.” And then it WAS Kristen Stewart. Anyway, King Princess is a zillennial queer woman classic.

Young M.A

I don’t know how to describe rap in a way that does not make me sound like an absolute fool, but Young M.A goes hard. You know what, even that still sounds dorky. I’ll let her music speak for herself.

Your Smith

Your Smith is very light and airy indie pop music that makes you want to listen to it in your car with the windows down. She has many cute little bops, but this one in particular was featured on The L Word: Generation Q:

Indigo Girls

This band is the name you drop if you’re trying to impress and older lesbian. These girls were doin’ it before many of us were born. “Closer To Fine” is, like, required listening to ascend to the omnipotent level of lesbianism.

Syd

Syd started her career in the band The Internet, and her sexy smooth voice took her on her own solo career. Her singing and swag are both effortless. Here she is featured on Disclosure’s song Birthday along with fellow queer icon Kehlani (who also belongs on this list, but I figured everyone knew her already):

Lynn Gunn from PVRIS

If you were a scene kid, you may have seen PVRIS on Warped Tour and fell head over heels (or heels over head!! Boys Like Girls reference?? Anyone?!?) for their lead singer Lyn Gunn. She is still rocking the severe asymmetrical bob and making punk panties drop. Here’s her newest song with 070 Shake. We love a queer collab!

G Flip

G Flip feels very much like present pop music. Like we’ll listen to her music in the future and be like “oh yeah that was definitely made in 2019.” It’s like if Madison Beer was a cool lesbian. That kind of thing.